I set off today on a pretty unorthodox path up the Vietnam Central Highlands. There are some well-worn roads north from Da Lat or Buon Ma Thout (where I was yesterday), like the AH17. But I tend to take alternate paths (and I’d been told many times the AH17 is a carriage ride through hell right now due to road works).

My friend Keren and I were recently discussing how the people we meet on the road can shape the opinions we have of certain locations. And while I agree in principal, I try to separate those personal interactions from my views on a town. It’s not always easy, but in the case of Nha Trang, it was.

I love the people I met. And now, as I leave, I can tell you with equal confidence, I do not like Nha Trang.

Today was the greatest day on a motorbiking in my life. It was spectacular for these reasons: landscape, solitude, variety, and the physical and mental challenges it presented.

There is a quick route from Mui Ne to Lien Huong. I didn’t take it.

Google maps says to get on the A1 and head north. Everybody knows the A1 is the least desirable way to travel Vietnam for reasons of traffic, the lunacy of truck drivers, and unpredictable construction or road conditions. Besides, the last time I took Google Maps advice, I ended up in a Vietnamese Prison. Continue reading →